Bandon Dunes

[SCfanatic35]

  phan52 said:

This is my screensaver on my computer, the view from Old MacDonald looking north. Gotta go in the spring when the gorse is blooming. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/94735/] [/URL]

The gorse was in full bloom when I was there. I got to admire it up close a few times, especially on day 1 when I couldn't hit a decent tee shot to save my life. Sucks being able to see your ball in it but can't get to it or don't even want to try and get it out of fear of pain.

[Gary L]

Anybody planning a trip to Bandon would be remiss not to check out Sandpines, up the coast about 70 miles. Picked best new public by Golf Digest in '93, for $85 including cart, you can't beat it.

[phan52]

  SCfanatic35 said:

The 2nd day we played Pacific Dunes in the morning and then raced over on the shuttle to Bandon Trails to make our tee times.  These were my 2 favorite courses at the resort.  The final day, yesterday, we played Old McDonald in the morning and had just a little bit of wind, which made the course very tame.

Pacific and Trails were my favorites as well. Preserve was under construction.

Best hole on Trails, #14. Ridiculously narrow green. I birdied it with a bump and run from off the left side of the green. If it didn't hit the pin it was going in the bunker.

[Gary L]

Phan

Great pic.  What was the wind like?

[phan52]

  Gary L said:

Phan

Great pic.  What was the wind like?

The day we played Trails was the mildest day we were there. Very little wind, even up at the top in the picture. The wind was crazy the first time we played Pacific (the first day we were there). In fact, the evening before, we were flying into Coos Bay from SF and the plane couldn't land because of the wind. They took us to Eugene and we had to shuttle back to Bandon. Real pain in the ass. Frankly, it's easier to get to Ireland or Scotland from the east coast, but I loved the place.

[rkim291968]

Just went there for the 1st time and played the four 18 hole courses in four days.   The courses are well maintained, service is good, each course design is unique, there's lots to like about the experience.  We will probably go back there next year.

A few thoughts for those who are thinking about playing golf at Bandon Dunes for the 1st time:

- Put it in your bucket list.

- Expect to play some "windy" golf.

- Hiring a caddy is worth it, especially, if you care about your score.   Caddy can save you a lot of strokes.

- Check out Facerock beach area.  Very cool.